Beccaria, James Bartholomew

, a very eminent
physician, was born in 1682 at Bononia. He received the
first rudiments of education among the Jesuits. He then
proceeded to the study of philosophy, in which he made
great progress; but cultivated that branch of it particularly which consists in the contemplation and investigation
of nature. Having gone through a course of philosophy
and mathematics, he applied himself to medicine. Being
appointed teacher of natural philosophy at an academy in
Bononia, in consequence of his ardent pursuits in
|
philosophy, his fellow citizens conferred on him the office of
public professor. His first step in this chair was the interpretation of the Dialectics. He kept his house open
to students, who found there a kind 6*f philosophical society. Here it was his practice to deliver his sentiments
on the different branches of science, or to explain such
metaphysical subjects as had been treated of by Descartes, Malebranche, Leibnitz, and others of the moderns.
Among the frequenters of this little Society we find the
names of John Baptist Morgagni, EustathiusManfred, and
Victorius Franciscus Stancarius, who, in concurrence with
Beccaria, succeeded in shaking oil the old scholastic yoke,
and formed themselves into an academy, adopting a new
and more useful method of reasoning. In this institution
it was thought fit to elect twelve of their body, who were
called ordinarii, to read the several lectures In natural history, chemistry, anatomy, medicine, physics, and mathematics, in which partition the illustration of natural
history fell to the share of Beccaria; who gave such satisfaction, that it was difficult to determine which was most
admired, his diligence or his ingenuity. In 1712 he was
called to give lectures in medicine, in which he acquired
so great a reputation, that he found it scarcely practicable
to answer the desires of the incredible number of those
who applied to him for instruction. At the beginning of
the year 1718, while entirely occupied in this station, and
in collecting numberless anatomical subjects to exhibit
and to explain to his auditors, he was attacked by a putrid
fever, which brought his life in imminent danger, and
from which he did not recover till afte.r a confinement of
eight months; and even then it left him subject to intermitting attacks, and a violent pain in his side. But the
vigour of his mind triumphed over the weakness of his
body. Having undertaken to demonstrate and explain his
anatomical preparations, he would not desist; and went
on patiently instructing the students that frequented his
house. On the death of Antonio Maria Valsalva, who was
president of the institution, Beccaria, already vice-president, was unanimously chosen by the academicians to succeed him, in which post he did the academy much signal
service; and to this day it adheres to the rules prescribed
by Beccaria. He now practised as well as taught the art
of medicine, and in this he acquired an unbounded fame;
for it was not confined to his owa countrymen, but was
| spread throughout Europe. He communicated to the
royal society of London several barometrical and meteorological observations; with others on the ignis fatuus,
and on the spots that appear in stones, and in acknowledgement he was chosen a member of that learned body
in 1728. He confesses thai in his constitution he was not
without some igneous sparks, which were easily kindled
into anger and other vehement emotions; yet he was resolved to evince by example what he had constantly taught,
that the medicine of the mind is more to be studied than
that of the body; and that they are truly wise and happy
who have learnt to heal their distorted and bad affections.
He had brought himself to such an equal temper of mind,
that but a few hours before his death he wanted to mark
the heights of the barometer and thermometer, which was
his usual practice three times every day. Thus, after
many and various labours, died this learned and ingenious
man, the 30th of Jan. 1766, and was buried in the church
of St. Maria ad Baracanum, where an inscription is carved
en his monument. He published the following works:
1. “Lettere al cavaliere Tommaso Derham, intorno la
nieteora chiamata fuoco fatuo. Edita primum in societatis
Lond. transact.” 1720. 2. “Dissertatio mctheorologicamedica, in qua ae’ris temperies et morbi Bononizegrassantes annis 1729, et sequent! describuntur.” 3. “Pa re re
intorno al taglio delia macchiadi Viareggio,” Lucca, 1739,
4to. 4. “De longis jejuniis dissertatio.” Patavii, 1743,
fo’l. 5. “De quamplurimis phosphoris nunc primum detectis commentarius,” Bononia?,“1744, 4to. 6.” De
quamplurim. &c. commentarius alter.“7.” De motu
intestino corporum fluidorum.“8.” De medicatis Recobarii aquis.“9.” De lacte.“10.” Epistolrc tres
mediciP ad Franciscum lloncalium Parolinum,“Brixiir,
1747, fol. 11.” Scriptura medico-legalis," 1749; and
some others. He left behind him several manuscripts. 1

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